1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an ink-jet recording apparatus which records an image on a recording medium by ejecting ink droplets from a recording head.
2. Description of the Related Art
FIGS. 27A, 27B, 27C, and 27D schematically show a manner of a non-margin recording operation in a conventional ordinary ink-jet recording apparatus.
This ink-jet recording apparatus includes a recording head 1. A plurality of nozzles are provided in rows in this recording head 1. A recording medium 2 (typically, a recording sheet) on which an image is to be recorded is fed to below the recording head 1. The recording head 1 is moved in a direction perpendicular to a feeding direction 3 of the recording sheet 2, that is, in a direction perpendicular to the sheet surface of the figure (a main scanning direction). Ink droplets are ejected from the above-described nozzles at predetermined timings while the recording head 1 is moved. As a result, an image is recorded on the recording sheet 2.
Recent ink-jet recording apparatuses have a function in which an image is recorded on the recording sheet 2 like a photographic printing, for example. The image recording operation like this is performed without any margin provided on edges of the recording sheet 2, and thus referred to as what is called a “non-margin recording operation”. When the non-margin recording operation is performed, a distance in particular between an end portion of the recording sheet 2 and the recording head 1 must be precisely maintained. Thus, a platen 4 includes, in addition to fixed ribs 5, a movable rib 6 which is slid in the feeding direction 3. As described in Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2006-326990, for example, this movable rib 6 supports the recording sheet 2 from below so as to follow the recording sheet 2 being fed during an image recording operation. Specifically, the non-margin recording operation is performed according to the following manner.
As shown in FIG. 27A, before the recording sheet 2 is fed to the platen 4, the movable rib 6 is located at a center of the platen 4. As shown in FIG. 27B, while the recording sheet 2 is fed onto the platen 4 by a sheet-feed roller 7, the movable rib 6 is slid toward an upstream side in the feeding direction. That is, the movable rib 6 moves nearer to the recording sheet 2 in order to support a leading end portion of the recording sheet 2. Thereafter, in a state in which the leading end portion of the recording sheet 2 is supported by the movable rib 6 (as shown in FIG. 27C), the movable rib 6 is slid toward a downstream side in the feeding direction while supporting the recording sheet 2 (as shown in FIG. 27D). Thus, the distance between the recording sheet 2 and the recording head 1 is precisely maintained.